Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T06:24:55.210Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Increased Situation Awareness in Major Incidents—Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technique: A Promising Tool

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 April 2012

Jorma Jokela ,
Monica Rådestad ,
Dan Gryth ,
Helené Nilsson ,
Anders Rüter ,
Leif Svensson ,
Ville Harkke ,
Markku Luoto  and
Maaret Castrén
Jorma Jokela*
Affiliation:
Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Hyvinkää, Finland
Monica Rådestad
Affiliation:
Stockholm Prehospital Centre, Södersjukhuset, Sweden Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
Dan Gryth
Affiliation:
Stockholm Prehospital Centre, Södersjukhuset, Sweden Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
Helené Nilsson
Affiliation:
The Centre for Teaching and Research in Disaster Medicine and Traumatology (KMC), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
Anders Rüter
Affiliation:
The Centre for Teaching and Research in Disaster Medicine and Traumatology (KMC), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden Sophiahemmet University College, Stockholm, Sweden
Leif Svensson
Affiliation:
Stockholm Prehospital Centre, Södersjukhuset, Sweden Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
Ville Harkke
Affiliation:
Institute for Advanced Management Systems Research, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
Markku Luoto
Affiliation:
Logica, Helsinki, Finland
Maaret Castrén
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden Department of Emergency Medicine, Södersjukhuset, Sweden
*
Correspondence: Jorma Jokela, RN, PhD Laurea University of Applied Sciences Uudenmaankatu22 05800 Hyvinkää, Finland E-mail: jorma.jokela@laurea.fi
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Introduction: In mass-casualty situations, communications and information management to improve situational awareness is a major challenge for responders. In this study, the feasibility of a prototype system that utilizes commercially available, low-cost components, including Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and mobile phone technology, was tested in two simulated mass-casualty incidents.

Methods: The feasibility and the direct benefits of the system were evaluated in two simulated mass-casualty situations: one in Finland involving a passenger ship accident resulting in multiple drowning/hypothermia patients, and another at a major airport in Sweden using an aircraft crash scenario. Both simulations involved multiple agencies and functioned as test settings for comparing the disaster management’s situational awareness with and without using the RFID-based system. Triage documentation was done using both an RFID-based system, which automatically sent the data to the Medical Command, and a traditional method using paper triage tags. The situational awareness was measured by comparing the availability of up-to date information at different points in the care chain using both systems.

Results: Information regarding the numbers and status or triage classification of the casualties was available approximately one hour earlier using the RFID system compared to the data obtained using the traditional method.

Conclusions: The tested prototype system was quick, stable, and easy to use, and proved to work seamlessly even in harsh field conditions. It surpassed the paper-based system in all respects except simplicity of use. It also improved the general view of the mass-casualty situations, and enhanced medical emergency readiness in a multi-organizational medical setting. The tested technology is feasible in a mass-casualty incident; further development and testing should take place.

Keywords

disaster managementEmergency Medical Servicesmass-casualty situationmobile technologynational triage tagradio frequency identificationRFIDsimulationsituational awarenesssmart tagtriage
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 27 , Issue 1 , February 2012 , pp. 81 - 87
Copyright
Copyright Jokela © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Hodgetts, T, Porter, . Major Incident Medical Management and Support: The Practical Approach at the Scene (MIMMS). 2nd ed. London: BMJ Books; 2002.Google Scholar
2.Schultz, CH, Koenig, KL, Noji, EK. A medical disaster response to reduce immediate mortality after an earthquake. N Engl J Med. 1996;334(7):438–444.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Garner, A, Lee, A, Harrison, K, Schultz, CH. Comparative analysis of multiple-casualty incident triage algorithms. Ann Emerg Med. 2001;38(5):541–548.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Garner, A. Documentation and tagging of casualties in multiple casualty incidents. Emerg Med (Fremantle). 2003;15(5–6):475–479.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.TSG Associates product information. http://www.tsgassociates.co.uk/. Accessed February 16, 2009.Google Scholar
6.Chan, T, Killeen, J, Griswold, W, Lenert, L. Information technology and emergency medical care during disaster. Acad Emerg Med. 2004;11(11):1229–1236.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.Jokela, J, Simons, T, Kuronen, P, et al. . Implementing RFID technology in a novel triage system during a simulated mass casualty situation. J Electronic Healthcare. 2008;14(1):105–118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Kumar, S, Swanson, E, Tran, T. RFID in the healthcare supply chain: usage and application. Int J Health Care Qual Assur. 2009;22(1):67–81.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Van der Togt, R, Van Lieshout, E, Hensbroek, R, Beinat, E, Binnekade, J, Bakker, P. Electromagnetic interference from radio frequency identification inducing potentially hazardous incidents in critical care medical equipment. JAMA. 2008;299(24):2884–2889.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Fry, EA, Lenert, LA. MASCAL: RFID tracking of patients, staff and equipment to enhance hospital response to mass casualty events. AMIA Annu Symp Proc. 2005:261–265.Google ScholarPubMed
11.The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency. Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap, MSB. http://www.msbmyndigheten.se. Accessed April 19, 2009.Google Scholar
12.The Swedish National Board of Health Welfare. The National Board of Health and Welfare’s instructions and general advice on peace-time disaster medical readiness and planning before raised readiness levels. SOSFS 2005:13. http://www.socialstyrelsen.se Accessed April 19, 2009.Google Scholar
13.The Centre for Teaching and Training in Disaster Medicine and Traumatology. Emergo Train System Website. http://www.emergotrain.com. Accessed July15, 2009.Google Scholar
14.Padmanabhan, N, Burstein, F, Churilov, L, Wassertheil, J, Hornblower, B, Parker, N. A mobile emergency triage decision support system evaluation. Proceedings of the 39th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. (HICSS 06), 2006:5(4–7 January):96b (CD-ROM).Google Scholar
15.Fisher, JA, Monahan, T. Tracking the social dimensions of RFID systems in hospitals. Int J Med Informatics. 2008;77(3):176–183.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16.Inoue, S, Sonoda, A, Yasuura, H. Experiment of large scale triage with RFID Tags. IPSJ SIG Technical Reports. 2006; No.14 (MBL-36 UBI-10):351–356.Google Scholar